Shincha Season Part II: "Fall In Spring"
In which a shincha trip to Yame (Fukuoka) and Gokase (Miyazaki) overwhelms me to the point of poetry.
Last week I was in Japan’s southern island of Kyushu. In pursuit of this years’ new tea (shincha), I went to Yame in Fukuoka Prefecture—the region that initially reframed what I knew about Japanese teas a half decade ago around 2017—on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, I got to visit Gokase in Miyazaki Prefecture for the first time—the region currently reframing my Japanese tea worldview.
In Yame, the two producers I visited were Hoshino Seichaen in Hoshino Mura (星野製茶園) and Taro Goro Hisuke Chaen in Kurogi (太郎五郎久家茶園). We also stopped by the famed Genta pottery kiln (星野焼源太窯), the temple Reiganji honoring the monk who first brought tea to Yame from China exactly 600 years ago this year, the Unagi monpe store for some farmer’s pants, and the oldest tea shop in Kyushu: Konomi Honke (矢部屋 許斐本家).
In Gokase, I stopped by Miyazaki Sabo (宮﨑茶房) and Gokase Midori Seicha (五ヶ瀬緑製茶), which are almost walking distance from each other. We also visited the famed Takachiho gorge and watched an incredible Kagura performance.
I’m going to write extensively about this year’s Shincha experiences for my friends at Tea Master in Downtown Los Angeles in due course. Like I was during last year’s Shincha trip to Kyushu to see Ureshino, Sonogi, and Yame, I currently a bit overwhelmed by everything I saw (and tasted). For now, I’m going to offer only some photos and this poem as I sip my Hatsutsumi Shincha and hope you will be sipping yours.
FALL IN SPRING When I was young, I fell asleep To easy weezes “Only In Dreams” Now, sleep falls On top of me A fuzzy anvil Like Laraaji’s voice When he confesses That all he can do Is bliss out for days And days Firing out both sides Of the rocky walls Between this chasm Are waterfall hoses Blessing in all directions Quivers worth of Emerald lightening bolts Grab a glass Any will do Any will double As a jar Or a stage Or a frame For these most Exquisite firefly Specimens Warning: Upon consumption You will longer be able to tell Whether you are doing the falling Or something is falling on you
